In casual discussions with friends (Software Testers) or while taking interviews, I often ask this
question, what do you do to improve your Software Testing skills?
In this blog, I have tried to answer the question by consolidating
some quick tips (to improve your Software
Testing skills) that may help you
to become a better Software Tester.
🎯 Revise
your Software Testing fundamentals frequently –
Staying rooted in the fundamentals is very
critical. Revisiting core concepts helps you to keep your base strong. It also
ensures that even as new technologies and tools emerge, you can apply them with
a solid understanding of how testing works at its core. Try to set some time aside
each week/month (as feasible) and
revisit Software Testing fundamentals.
🎯 Read
Blogs/Articles/Magazines on Software Testing, watch Videos, listen to Podcasts -
The Software Testing world is constantly
evolving and staying updated is not at all optional. 😊
Try reading content from various sources
including blogs, articles, and magazines which provide diverse perspectives
from different experts, helping you learn new techniques, trends, and
challenges faced by others.
Watch videos on various YouTube channels,
tutorials, and podcasts which will allow you to grasp concepts more
interactively. Subscribe to newsletters from leading Software Testing websites,
communities, and follow thought leaders in the Software Testing space. This will
help you stay updated with the current and upcoming trends in Software Testing.
🎯 Read
Books on Software Testing 📚 –
Books offer in-depth knowledge and cover
theoretical and practical aspects. Reading books by renowned testers expands
your understanding of Software Testing, introduces you to different
perspectives and schools of thought, sharpens your critical thinking &
problem-solving skills, paves the way to learn from the experience of the
author, etc. You’ll also gain insights into case studies and examples of
real-world testing challenges and solutions. Do research about the Software Testing books and purchase a few (eBook/Paperback)
as per your interest and needs and make sure you dedicate the time to reading
them.
🎯 Pen
down your thoughts and experiences (as a
Blog post or LinkedIn post) and share them with the Software Testing
Community –
Documenting your thoughts, experiences, and
learnings through writing helps you organize your knowledge, think critically,
and solidify what you’ve learned. Whether through blogging, posting on LinkedIn,
or contributing to forums, you can not only build your personal brand but also
get feedback from the Software Testing community. Sharing experiences with the
community can trigger discussions, provide new insights, and help you grow by
interacting with other testers.
🎯 Practice
Software Testing by Testing some applications daily –
Testing isn’t just a theoretical skill—it’s
practical. The more you practice, the sharper you get. You can practice by
testing applications or software you interact with daily. This will help you
hone your skills in generating test ideas, creating test cases, identifying
bugs, and understanding different application behaviors. It also improves your
exploratory testing abilities, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
Remember, the more you expose yourself to varied applications, the more your
ability to adapt and test different systems improves. You may want to begin here.
🎯 Pair
with fellow Testers and do Pair Testing and seek feedback –
Pair testing is a collaborative practice
where two testers work together to test the same application or feature. It enables
knowledge sharing, offers multiple perspectives on the same problem, and
increases efficiency. By pairing with another tester, you not only learn new
techniques or shortcuts but also develop communication skills that help you
articulate your thoughts and collaborate better. Seeking feedback from your
peers also enables you recognize blind spots and identify areas for
improvement.
🎯 Collaborate with different Stakeholders within
and outside of your Projects and learn from everyone –
Try to find opportunities to meet and discuss (beyond the regular tasks) with different
Stakeholders within and outside of your Projects. Try to understand the Quality Narrative (how different stakeholders think and talk about quality) that is in
place. Don’t limit your discussions to the Product,
BA, and Development Teams, but also try connecting with UX, DevOps, Infrastructure, Customer Support, Sales & Marketing,
and HR Teams as well.
In addition, try to understand your Application(s)
Architecture, Technology Stack, Business, Customers and Users, Competitors, how
your company makes money, etc. This will pave the way to bring a different perspective to
what you do as a Software Tester and lead to shared understanding along with
clarity that plays a critical role in delivering software solutions that are
capable of solving customers' problems.
🎯 Explore
Tools and read the Documentation –
Have your Tools repository ready. Find and
explore new Tools to aid your testing activities. When you plan to explore and
learn a new tool, consider reading the documentation of the respective tool in
addition to the other resources (videos,
blogs, etc.). Keep experimenting (as
feasible and applicable in your context) and keep your Tools repository updated.
If problem-solving (beyond day-to-day tasks) is your passion and if you love automating
the tasks, try creating some utilities and share them within the Team and seek
feedback.
🎯 Spend
some time on solving Puzzles –
Solving puzzles can be an enjoyable way to
sharpen your analytical skills and improve your attention to detail qualities
that are essential in Software Testing. By tackling challenges like Crosswords,
word searches, or unscrambling words, you train your brain to recognize
patterns, think critically, and spot subtle details. This puzzle mindset is valuable in testing, where discovering hidden
bugs and understanding complex systems requires careful observation and logical
thinking.
Whenever you get an opportunity (maybe over the weekends), try spending
some time solving the puzzles (e.g. Crosswords,
word search, unscrambling the words, etc.). You may want to try out my Book
Software Testing Crossword Puzzles.
🎯 Use
Mnemonics to aid your Testing activities –
Mnemonics (a technique that can assist in remembering information) can help
speed up your testing activities by helping you remember essential steps,
criteria, and potential areas to test without having to check documentation
repeatedly. Search for Software Testing
mnemonics and also try creating your personalized Mnemonics (as applicable to your context) to focus
on specific testing challenges or workflows. Check out my blog on this topic.
🎯 Practice your note-taking and documentation
skills –
As a Software Tester, while doing our day-to-day job we
need a lot of information. Maintaining or documenting this information in an
organized way becomes a very crucial task. Check out the documentation areas
that a Software Tester generally deals with.
Be it a professional front (while working on a project) or a personal front (while learning or creating content)
note-taking and documentation skills are very critical.
As time permits, use your knowledge, experience,
awareness, and humor, and try creating some Software Testing related content
and publish them on your social and business platforms. To begin with, you can
try out a thoughtful meme on Software Testing that readers can easily resonate
with without offending and can smile.
🎯 Join
Crowdsourced Testing platforms and seek opportunities –
Crowdsourced testing platforms like uTest, and TesterWork allow testers to gain hands-on experience with
real-world projects. You get to test applications from various domains and
industries, which broadens your skill set. Additionally, you can earn while
learning and networking with other testers worldwide.
🎯 Participate
in Software Testing competitions –
Competitions like testing hackathons and bug
bounties sharpen your testing skills in a competitive and fun environment.
These events challenge you to think quickly, be creative, and test applications
in new ways. By competing, you gain exposure to time-sensitive testing, which
sharpens your skills under pressure. You also learn from others in the
community by observing their approaches and testing techniques.
🎯 Join
Software Testing Communities, participate in discussions, get your questions
answered & help others resolve theirs –
Being active in Software Testing communities
allows you to connect with other testers, discuss trends, and get advice on
specific challenges you face. Communities like the Ministry of Testing, The
Test Chat, The Test Tribe, and Agile Testing Alliance are excellent
places for discussions, learning, and sharing knowledge. Engaging with the
community helps you learn from others, stay motivated, and collaborate on
projects or ideas. Helping others with their problems also strengthens your
understanding of the subject.
🎯 Attend
Software Testing events (Meet-ups, Conferences, Webinars, etc.) –
Attending meet-ups, conferences, and webinars
is an excellent way to enable your learning and networking opportunities. While
virtual conferences are really good and worth attending, I recommend attending
in-person events as they enable you to meet industry professionals, connect
with the Speakers and the Delegates, make new friends, meet your existing
connections, former coworkers, and/or friends, meet Community Builders &
Thought leaders. In addition, it also enables you to participate in a variety
of Contests, enables you to witness and understand the importance of Planning,
Collaboration & Execution of an event. Check out my article about ATAGTR2023.
🎯 Meet
with Software Testing professionals (besides regular work)
–
Try to meet another Software Testing
professional (besides regular work)
and have a long chat over Tea/Coffee. 🧋
The respective Tester could be your
friend, someone from your Team, from a different Team, or maybe from a
different organization, playing a different role and having a different set of
responsibilities. Check out my blog on this topic.
🎯 Update
your resume, try applying for job openings, and attend interviews
–
First of all, ask this question yourself – When was the last time I updated my
resume/applied for a job opening/attended an interview? 😀
Well, even if you’re
not actively looking for a change, try updating your resume regularly and
applying for job openings. If you are receiving a call for interviews, do
attend them.
Resume preparation will enable
you to think about your overall experience and organize your profile. Check out
my blog on this topic.
Job Search will enable you to
understand the current industry demands in terms of skills and experience. It
will also reveal areas where you might need improvement or point to emerging
skills you may want to learn.
Attending interviews will
enable you to practice articulating your expertise, discussing testing
concepts, and explaining your approaches to testing problems. It will also
enable you to get valuable feedback on your knowledge and skill gaps.
These are the tips/points I can think of. I am sure, the above
list can be extended with some additional tips. Please feel free to add your
input in the comment section below.
Important Note –
These are just the list of tips. Every individual has different
ways of learning and gaining knowledge. It’s not necessary that you need to try
out everything mentioned above. Consider your context (likes, dislikes, needs,
area of interest, etc.) and adapt accordingly.
If you have read the post until this point and if you
have found this helpful, please consider sharing it with fellow testers or with
someone in your network who may benefit from this. 😀
If you have any questions and want to connect with me?
Feel free to book a 1:1 meeting.
Keep Learning, Keep Growing 👍
